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Even with a professional home inspector on the job, it can help buyers to have a home inspection checklist to keep on hand. When possible, it is also recommended that buyers are present for the inspection. Some states require that a buyers agent is present. Others do not allow the agent to be present. Your realtor should be able to give you insight on the regulations for your area.

As a buyer attending a home inspection, your job isnt to micromanage the professional inspector. Rather, being there allows you to ask follow-up questions so that you can have an understanding of issues before renegotiating with the seller.

Although home inspections are not nationally standardized, many professional home inspectors adhere to the American Society of Home Inspectors Standard of Practice. This checklist offers clarity about what is reviewed during the inspection.

The inspector should evaluate structural components, such as the foundation and framing. The purpose of these evaluations is to note the condition of structural elements (including ceilings, floors, walls and roofs) rather than to offer an opinion on the adequacy of the components. A structural engineer is better qualified to share a detailed opinion.

During the exterior inspection, the inspector should note the condition of wall coverings, exterior doors, attached decks or balconies, adjacent walkways or driveways and surface draining that could affect the structure. This inspection may not extend to fences, out-buildings or other landscaping elements unlikely to impact the home.

With the roof inspection, the inspector should examine the roof drainage system, flashing, skylights and chimney. In the report, the inspector should describe the roofing materials as well as the process they used to inspect the roof.

While examining the plumping system, the inspector should take a look at faucets, water fixtures, drains, waste systems, vent systems, water heating equipment, sewage ejectors and piping and related systems. The report should include a description of the plumping system materials, energy sources and valves. Generally, the inspection will not include an analysis of laundry machines, wells, water conditioners, landscaping irrigation systems and water pressure.

As a significant component of the houseas well as a safety factorthe inspectors review of the electrical system should be extensive and include an inspection of service drop, service conductors, cables and raceways, service grounding, interior service panels, conductors, overcurrent protection devices and a representative number of installed light fixtures and outlets.

The report should include a review of where main panels are located, the main wiring method, whether there are smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, and the amperage rating of service. This review may not extend to renewable energy systems, additional wiring systems and the efficacy of alarms.

So that they may describe the energy sources and heating system, the inspector should inspect installed heating equipment, vent systems (including flues and chimneys) and heat distribution systems. This does not typically include an inspection of heating systems that are not readily accessible, such as the interior of chimneys.

By inspecting readily openable access panels, the inspector should detail the condition of permanently installed cooling systems and distribution systems. This may not involve an inspection of renewable energy cooling systems, cooling supply balance and impermanent cooling systems, such as window units.

While examining the interior, the inspector should review the condition of walls, ceilings, floors, steps, stairways, railings, countertops, garage doors and major appliances. The inspector should also look at a representative number of installed cabinets, windows and doors. The interior inspection does not include floor coverings, wall finishes, window treatments or the operational features of inspected appliances.

To describe the insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces, the inspector should examine attics, crawlspaces, the basement and exhaust systems. However, the inspector is not to disturb insulation.

To describe systems and components of fireplaces and fuel-burning appliances, the inspector should inspect chimneys, vent systems, fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts. This does not include an inspection of seals, gaskets, fireplace doors and components that are not readily accessible. The inspector is also not expected to assess the adequacy of heating elements.

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If applicable and requested at an additional fee for the inspection, the inspector may be able to examine pools, spas, decks (in more detail) and radon mitigation systems. If you want an inspection of any of these elements, address it with your inspector ahead of time.

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Five Benefits Of Building Inspection Intimates AL Inspection, A ThreeBestRated Home Inspector From Montreal PRUnderground

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Five Benefits Of Building Inspection Intimates AL Inspection, A ThreeBestRated Home Inspector From Montreal - PRUnderground

'); if(!WVM.IS_STREAMING){ $videoEl.append('' + '' + ''); } setTimeout(function(){ $('.mute-overlay').on('touchstart click', function(e){ if(e.handled === false) return; e.stopPropagation(); e.preventDefault(); e.handled = true; player.muted(false); //console.log("volumee " + WVM.activePlayer.volume()); $(this).hide(); $(this).css('display', 'none'); var currentTime = player.currentTime(); if(currentTime 0){ if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top; }else{ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top - $('.next-dropdown-accordion').height(); } if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); }else{ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); } WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT = $('#media-container-' + videoId).height(); //console.log("container height: " + WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT); $(window).on( "resize", function() { if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top; 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if(sWidth > 900 && WADS.IS_STICKING){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky'); } else if(WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } else if(!WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } //set right var sWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; var sHeight = window.innerHeight || document.documentElement.clientHeight; if(deviceName == 'desktop' || sWidth > 900){ var leftPos2 = $('aside').get(0).getBoundingClientRect().left; var leftPos = $('aside').offset().left ; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('left', leftPos + "px"); var newWidth = Math.floor(sWidth / 3.5); $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', newWidth + "px"); } else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100% !important"); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .now-playing-container').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .next-dropdown-accordion').css('display', 'block'); } //floating-video $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); setTimeout(function(){ var hWrapper = $('.floating-video .hlsvideo-wrapper').height(); var npWidth = $('.floating-video .now-playing-container').height(); var ndWidth = $('.floating-video .next-dropdown-header').height() + 20; var scrollerHeight = sHeight - (hWrapper + npWidth + ndWidth); scrollerHeight = 180; //scrollerHeight = parseInt(scrollerHeight * 0.5); if(WVM.device_name == 'desktop'){ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + " .mobile-list-videos").height(scrollerHeight); } }, 100); }else if($(window).scrollTop() 0){ var container = document.querySelector('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId); imagesLoaded( container, function() { var screenWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; if(screenWidth > 850){ WVM.IS_DESKTOP = true; 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}, error : function(){ console.log("Error loading video"); } }); } }); } }; WVM.setupAccordionButton = function(fullVideoId){ var deviceName = 'desktop'; $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + fullVideoId).on('click', function(){ if($(this).find('i').hasClass('fa-chevron-up')){ //hide $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-down'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); } var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); //playerId, mediaId, fieldName var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //alert("Getting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }else{ //expand $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); if(!WVM.player_state193440['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); if(!$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ if(!WVM.player_state193440['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } } } $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'none'); } }); var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; //console.log("current Video " + currVideoId); var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //console.log("setting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }; WVM.sendbeacon = function(action, nonInteraction, value, eventLabel) { var eventCategory = 'Video'; if (window.ga) { //console.log("sending action: " + action + " val: " + value + " label " + eventLabel); ga('send', 'event', { 'eventCategory': eventCategory, 'eventAction': action, 'eventLabel': eventLabel, 'eventValue': value, 'nonInteraction': nonInteraction }); } }; WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex = function(mediaId, returnArrayIndex){ var currId = null; if(mediaId == null){ return null; } for(var x =0; x 20){ if(fullDuration > 1 && ((fullDuration - fullCurrent) > 1) && !$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ console.log("hiding spinner"); $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner'); } } var duration_time = Math.floor(this.duration()); //this is a hack because the end video event is not firing... var current_time = Math.floor(this.currentTime()); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 10) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ if('desktop' == "iphone" && playerState.AD_ERROR){ console.log("skipped timeupdate end"); }else{ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } } if(!playerState.START_SENT){ WVM.sendbeacon('start', true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); playerState.START_SENT = true; } var currentTime, duration, percent, percentPlayed, _i; currentTime = Math.round(this.currentTime()); duration = Math.round(this.duration()); percentPlayed = Math.round(currentTime / duration * 100); for (percent = _i = 0; _i = percent && __indexOf.call(playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'], percent) 0) { playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'].push(percent); } } } }); //player.off('ended'); player.on('ended', function(){ console.log("ended"); playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; WVM.sendbeacon("complete", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }else{ console.log("Playlist complete (no more videos)"); } }); //player.off('adserror'); player.on('adserror', function(e){ //$('#ima-ad-container').remove(); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; console.log(e); console.log("ads error"); var errMessage = e['data']['AdError']['l']; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; // && errMessage == 'The VAST response document is empty.' if(!playerState.AD_ERROR){ var dTime = new Date().getTime(); WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = WVM.getFirstPrerollUrl(); console.log("calling backup ad tag url: " + WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl); WVM.activePlayer.ima.changeAdTag(WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl + "?" + dTime); WVM.activePlayer.ima.requestAds(); //WVM.activePlayer.src({ // src: masterSrc, // type: 'video/mp4' //}); //WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = ""; } playerState.AD_ERROR = true; }); //player.off('error'); player.on('error', function(event) { if (player.error().code === 4) { player.error(null); // clear out the old error player.options().sources.shift(); // drop the highest precedence source console.log("now doing src"); console.log(player.options().sources[0]); player.src(player.options().sources[0]); // retry return; } }); //player.off('volumechange'); player.on('volumechange', function(event) { console.log(event); var theHeight = $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .vjs-volume-level').css('height'); var cssVolume = 0; if(theHeight){ cssVolume = parseInt(theHeight.replace('%', '')); } var theVolume = player.volume(); if(theVolume > 0.0 || cssVolume > 0){ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'none'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'block'); } }); WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); setInterval(function(){ WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }, 2000); } if(!WVM.rawCompleteEvent){ WVM.rawCompleteEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state193440']; console.log("firing raw event due to all other events failing"); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } }; } if(!WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent){ WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state193440']; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + playerState['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); var fullCurrent = rawVideoElem.currentTime * 1000; var fullDuration = rawVideoElem.duration * 1000; var current_time = Math.floor(rawVideoElem.currentTime); console.log("raw timeupdate: " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 50) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); if(newMediaId){ console.log("loading new video from rawtimeupdate"); WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } if(!$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner') } }; } WVM.reinitRawEvents = function(playerId){ var playerState = WVM['player_state' + playerId]; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + WVM['player_state' + playerId]['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); //COMPLETE EENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); //TIME UPDATE EVENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT = true; WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT = true; };

CEDARBURG, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Discovering large-scale problems, that could cost thousands of dollars.

Why some new homeowners are regretting their decision to skip an inspection.

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Home inspection expert explains why you'll regret skipping a home inspection - WDJT

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether you've just inherited a property, going through a messy divorce, or can't meet with the challenges of maintaining a house any longer, the idea of having to sell can be overwhelming... plus this fast-changing market has would-be sellers on pause.

At Sell Your House Direct, they're in the business of putting home sellers first by bringing control, convenience, and certainty to the process.

"Sellinga house the traditional way is a lengthy process with hidden costs like home inspection reports, repairs, and agent fees," explains CEO Blake Soreano. "We strive to be the protector for our clients, putting them first, so they can have a more positive experience."

Their unique service connects sellers with a roster of vetted buyers so they can sell exactly when and how they want, making it as stress-free as possible.

Sell Your House Direct Highlights:

Sell Your House Direct makes it fair, easy and fast to sell!

For more information, please visitsellyourhousedirect.com.

AboutSell Your House Direct is a nationwide service and online marketplace, specializing in selling homes throughout the west and southeast United States. They connect sellers and brokers to thousands of vetted iBuyers, resulting in a home sale at the best possible price and terms.

SOURCE Sell Your House Direct

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This Company is Taking the Stress Out of Home-Selling - PR Newswire

Ahead of hurricane season this year, Ferncrest Manor Living Center in New Orleans submitted a summary of its evacuation plan to the Louisiana Department of Health just like the 93 other nursing homes in Louisianas most storm-prone parishes.

Ferncrest Manors plan garnered special attention from state health officials. The nursing home listed a campground with rustic cabins and recreational vehicle park in Tangipahoa Parish as a possible evacuation location for its medically-fragile residents.

State health officials and the fire marshals office identified significant problems with the site Yogi Bears Jellystone Park in Robert during an inspection earlier this summer. They reported standing water in building entrances and a hole in the roof of the facility. They saw mice and feces on the grounds. Officials concluded nursing home residents wouldnt be able to navigate the cracked, muddy sidewalks or handle the lack of outdoor lighting either. In addition to those deficiencies, Ferncrest Manor wanted to bring too many residents to the site. At the beginning of hurricane season, the population of the nursing home was 114, and the capacity of Jellystone Park was 99. It didnt have adequate showers or sinks for that many people, according to a letter sent June 20 to Ferncrests administrator Jesse Shaffer.

The Department recommends that this unlicensed evacuation site NOT be utilized at this time, Tasheka Dukes, director of the Louisiana Department of Healths health standards section, wrote to Ferncrest Manors leadership.

Ferncrest Manor did not respond to request for comment about its evacuation plan, but the staff at Jellystone Park campsite said the nursing home canceled its evacuation contract with the campsite about six weeks ago, shortly after it would have received the health departments letter. Doreen Foret, who helps supervise the campsite, said the nursing home had contracted with Jellystone Park since 2006 to provide evacuation space, though the home never actually sent residents to the Robert campground for a hurricane or any other emergency.

In all, state officials recommended 16 nursing homes from hurricane-prone areas reconsider evacuation sites they planned to use, according to documents provided to the Illuminator in response to a public records request.

In May and June, state officials inspected all 12 unlicensed facilities the nursing homes proposed for shelters. Nine were deemed inadequate.

Only three unlicensed sites, which collectively serve five homes, passed inspection, according to letters the health department sent to nursing home owners and administrators in late June.

Under current law, Louisiana cannot force nursing homes to change these evacuation locations before the end of this hurricane season in November, Stephen Russo, a health department attorney, said in an interview last week. Still, health inspectors have put the nursing home owners on notice that they will be watching them closely if they choose to use any of the questionable locations. The owners could put their nursing home licenses at risk if they move to one of those locations and something goes wrong, Russo said.

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Most south Louisiana nursing homes evacuate residents to licensed health care facilities such as other nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in safer parts of the state for hurricanes. They are also allowed to set up unlicensed emergency shelters at sites that include schools, churches and conference centers. Unlicensed facilities are under more scrutiny following the disastrous evacuation of seven nursing homes ahead of Hurricane Ida. Last August, Bob Dean moved nearly 850 people from his southeastern Louisiana facilities to a former pesticide warehouse he owns in Tangipahoa Parish.

The residents ended up on air mattresses on the ground without enough clothing, toilets or food. Hundreds eventually had to be rescued and 15 died within a month. At least five of those deaths were attributed to the evacuation. The health department shut down Deans homes and pulled his lucrative nursing home licenses in response to the scandal. Several evacuees and their families have sued Dean, who is fighting both the lawsuits and government sanctions.

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The Louisiana Legislature reacted to the Dean debacle with a new law to strengthen nursing home emergency plans and evacuation standards, but it wont be fully in place until May 2023. Until then, the state doesnt have many tools to push back against nursing homes and their choice of evacuation sites, even if health officials have concerns, Russo said.

Some problems health officials identified at unlicensed shelters are similar to those found at Deans warehouse. Several nursing homes were told their unlicensed sites werent big enough to hold the number of residents they planned to house. Many also lack enough showers, sinks and kitchen capacity.

Deans warehouse was also overcrowded, exacerbating the facilitys shortage of toilets and showers. His staff struggled to feed the residents in the days after the hurricane because there wasnt a working kitchen on the site.

Nursing homes that wanted to adjust their evacuation plans in the aftermath of Deans evacuation problems had plenty of time to do so. The homes owners werent required to submit their evacuation plan summaries for review until March, six months after Ida and Deans warehouse debacle.

Documents reviewed by the Illuminator show five nursing homes listed Creekside Junior High School in Pearl River as an evacuation location. The health department expressed several worries about the site, including that the building might not be able to withstand a strong hurricane. Gym of the junior high school is to be used for community sheltering, for several facilities, only for Pre-Storm and Post-Storm; the gym is not structurally sound to safely shelter nursing home residents during a hurricane/storm, Dukes, from the health department, wrote to the five nursing home owners.

Officials also wondered how Creekside Junior High would function as a shelter for nursing home patients when students would also be expected to use the school for class. Health officials have also asked the Archdiocese of New Orleans to find an alternative to the evacuation center it built in Bunkie for its nursing homes. The site, run by the Notre Dame Health System, doesnt have enough hand washing stations or showers to meet residents needs, officials said, and the archdiocese hasnt identified a place nearby to house nursing home staff who would have to work at the evacuation center.

The archdiocese planned to put residents from three nursing homes Chateau De Notre Dame in New Orleans, Our Lady of Wisdom Health Care Center in New Orleans and Wynhoven Health Care Center in Marrero at that location, according to records from the health department.

The archdiocese said the Notre Dame Health System is still negotiating with the state health department over its evacuation plans. We are working towards resolutions to all of the concerns and confident issues are being addressed sufficiently, archdiocese spokesperson Sarah McDonald said in a written statement Monday. The leadership and staff of Notre Dame Health System want to assure families and residents that in the event of an evacuation all appropriate health and safety measures will be in place for the proper care of residents, she said.

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Over a dozen nursing homes could evacuate to facilities that failed state inspections - Louisana Illuminator

Garth Schutte, 40, is under a conservatorship. His family isn't allowed to know where he is or speak to him. What's funding this is your tax dollars.

SACRAMENTO, Calif Garth Schutte, 40, has been taken by the state.

His mother, Jill, and older brothers, Ian and Russell, aren't allowed to speak to or see Garth. They don't know where he lives.

That's because Garth has been placed under a limited conservatorship.

In California, a conservatorship is a legal tool approved through the probate court which takes away the rights of someone who is unable to care for themselves and gives them to another person.

While general conservatorships strip someone of their civil rights entirely, limited conservatorships have seven separate powers that can be taken and given to another person depending on the conserved persons unique needs and ability to handle certain aspects of their lives.

But Garth has not been conserved by just anyone; he is under the custody of a $12 billion state agency:The Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

DDS serves hundreds of thousands of Californians with disabilities and their families with services and support. The Schutte family shared their story with us in hopes it will shine a light for others who receive these services especially those considering conservatorship.

360,000 people could potentially be subject to this system, said Ian.

360,000 is the number of people the Department of Developmental Services serves as of our interview. In 2023, that number is expected to increase to over 400,000.

I want to help as many of those 360,000 people as I can because even it just happening to one person is awful, said Ian.

We never expected anything like this, said Jill. If I couldve predicted this... we wouldve left the state of California.

Garth has developmental disabilities; autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, court and medical records show. For the first 39 years of his life, he relied on his mother to assist him with everyday things like showering, shaving and even using a catheter because ofa diagnosis of catatonia.

He was catheterized in the home and I was trained by three different medical staff, said Jill. Kaiser was providing all his medicine and his catheter, which was being mailed to the house. You cant buy catheters theyre prescription only.

The catheter is part of how Garths conservatorship began.

In Aug. 2020, record-breaking heat hit Sacramento. Jill noticed Garth wasn't eating or drinking quite as much and took him to the doctor.

Garth says things differently and he mentioned to one of the nurses, My mom puts a red plastic straw in my private part,'" Jill said.

Hospital staff are mandatory reporters. By law they have to report any sign of potential abuse Jill said Garth was trying to explain how he needed to be catheterized and it sent an abuse alert to Sacramento Adult Protective Services (APS) as well as Alta Regional Center the state-run facility under DDS providing services and support directly to people with disabilities as well as their families.

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When we look at California state law regarding mandated reporters, the reporters only report suspicions. Its the sheriff and police that do the investigation, said Jill. Adult Protective Services expand the investigation, not the regional center.

Yet court records show Alta Regional Center took Garth and placed him in a state-funded care facility.

Jill, Ian and Russell were not notified, despite Jill having Kaisers model of power of attorney over Garth.

For three months, no one told their family where Garth was.

We had absolutely no idea. They would not even say, is he in Sacramento? Jill said. We did not know.

This wasnt unfamiliar territory to the Schutte family.

Fifteen years prior, Garth had been taken by an Alta Regional Center employee who was helping watch Garth in Jills home. In court records, the regional center wrote Jill was unable to care for Garth, but a court investigators report later said Garth was taken in a deceptive manner.

The first time Garth was taken, it took Jill nine months and an attorney to get him back. 15 years later, in 2020, they were at a loss, which is why the Schutte family decided to get conservatorship over Garth, despite not doing so for Garths 39 years of life to help maintain his independence.

As they began the lengthy legal process, Garth was suddenly dropped off at Jills home by medical technicians after three months with no knowledge of his whereabouts.

I was shocked. I was thrilled, said Jill.

Less than 24 hours later, three Sacramento sheriffs deputies arrived saying Garth had been returned to Jill due to a clerical error.

The deputies took Garth outside and spoke with him alone. Ian recorded all 47 minutes the deputies were there; throughout the recording, Garth expressed his desire to remain at home with his mother to the deputies several times.

After Garth made his wishes clear and the deputies did a home inspection, their concern vanished.

Were glad hes got such a good home here, a deputy said.

The deputies updated Adult Protective Services and Alta Regional Center on their welfare check. Before leaving, one deputy offered the Schuttes advice: The most important thing you can do is go get that conservatorship as quickly as you can because thatll prevent them from pulling all this.

The Schutte family took it to heart and moved forward with the legal conservatorship process.

By petitioning the probate court for conservatorship, several things are instigated, including the court appointing an attorney for the potential conserved person.

The court appointed attorney Dewey Harpainter to represent Garth. Harpainters office is in Auburn.

As Garths attorney, Harpainter is legally required to advocate and represent what Garth wants. Jill says Harpainter refused to meet in person with Garth.

At one point I said, If youd like I can drive Garth up to Auburn. I will sit in the car so you can have private questioning with him,' Jill said. He denied that at least five times.

When the Schutte family attorney brought this up in court and requested a new attorney be appointed for Garth, the judge refused, Jill said and court records show.

At the time of our interview with the Schutte family in early June 2022, Harpainter had yet to meet with Garth.

That changed less than a month later after we reached out for an interview. Court records show Harpainter eventually met in person with Garth after we began investigating. The meeting took place just six days after our initial interview request to Harpainter.

Harpainter did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.

When a conservatorship is requested the court also appoints an investigator to interview the conservatee, assess the family dynamic, and write a report that goes directly to the judge.

The court investigator called me and we talked over many, many things, said Jill. I (also) encouraged him to talk to Garth privately.

After the investigator spoke with Garth in a one-on-one phone call, he wrote that Garth expressed a very strong desire to remain at home and told the investigator, (I) dont wanna go to a group home. I would like to live at home.

Criminal background checks were done on Jill and Russell who were petitioning for shared conservatorship custody. The investigators report also went through Adult Protective Services records and past abuse referrals, which were deemed inconclusive.

It means they didnt have evidence to confirm or deny Garth was abused, APS told us.

The court investigator recommended to the judge that his family care for Garth, and the conservatorship should be granted.

But the state regional center, Alta, told the judge a different story it claimed a number of allegations of abuse by the family from medical professionals in their written assessment of Garth.

Jill said shes had years of experience with Garth as well as a 22-year career as a disability expert for the California State of Rehabilitation and that, at no time did any doctor or professional advise me that anything being done was abusive.

The assessment also alleged Jill locked Garth in a windowless room, which Jill admits to, for Garths own protection. Because of his OCD, Garth often tries to break through the window glass in his room so he can pick up litter at all times of the day and night.

I mentioned that to a doctor the doctor said, Can you put a plywood or something based on the size of the window? Jill recalled.

She did, but not before she said she consulted with the fire department about it.

Its always putting Garth first, Jill said. His needs and wants but above his needs and wants... his safety.

The assessment also said Garth spoke directly to Roseville police after a lieutenant contacted Garth and the regional center following the Schutte's filing a missing persons report when Garth was taken in 2020. The assessment said Garth told the lieutenant he didn't want to return to his mothers house as well as recounted physical and sexual abuse by his mother and brother.

We reached out to the Roseville Police Department. They said they have no records of the call and therefore couldnt confirm it.

The regional center told the judge just because APS reports of abuse were inconclusive, it does not mean the claims are unfounded and that Jill and Russell would be inappropriate conservators.

Instead, they recommended the Department of Developmental Services be appointed as conservator. They also said DDS should ask for a power the family didnt: control over who Garth sees.

Ultimately, the judge listened to the regional center. He gave temporary conservatorship of Garth to DDS... not to the family as recommended by the court investigator.

With the conservatorship appointed, DDS decided Garth should move out of his mothers home and into one of their care facilities what they call a vendor.

After 39 years of living with Garth, Jill moved Garth into the new facility.

We did not want him to see our tears as we drove away, Jill recalled.

But the DDS care home struggled with Garth.

Because they couldnt help him sleep and he couldnt sleep - they call 911, Jill said she learned.

Court records show Garth had been hospitalized for 43 out of 88 days after being moved to care homes and under the care of DDS, meaning between November 2021 and February 2022 Garth spent about half his time at that point in emergency rooms rather than the care home.

Because Garth is under the conservatorship of DDS, taxpayers are footing the pricey ambulance rides and hospital stays.

One of the caretakers had so much trouble she actually asked for help from the family Garth had just been taken away from.

She would call (us asking), Can we come help her? Jill said. She actually wanted us to spend the night there.

Jill shared text messages between her and the care home facilitator with us. Here are a few, including the facilitator addressing the regional centers abuse allegations:

Garth no longer lives at this care home. Jill said he has moved residences five times in six months. With each move, Jills involvement in Garths life has been drastically cut by DDS, claiming Jill and Ian are triggering Garth. Jill believes whats triggering is the memory of the home Garth had with her.

As of mid-July 2022, Jill hadnt seen or spoken with Garth for 12 weeks. Visitation, including phone calls, between Garth and his family, has been severed... especially between Jill and Russel, the two who tried to get co-conservatorship.

We have not been (to his care home). We are not allowed to go there. We are not allowed to know the exact address, said Jill. We have not seen him or heard from him.

Its not for a lack of trying; Jill has repeatedly requested visitation with Garths regional center service coordinator, who is acting as his conservator in making decisions for Garth on behalf of DDS.

We cant provide you a date when you will be able to call or visit Garth, his service coordinator wrote in an email to Jill. She also said, Garth has not expressed any interest in having contact with you at this time.

Jill said shell respect his wishes, but wants to hear them from Garth himself.

Because we will follow the instructions, said Jill. [The regional center] could not do that.

We also reached out to Garths service coordinator asking to speak with Garth. Alta Regional Centers legal manager responded with the same message: Garth has expressed no interest in speaking with you.

We asked if Garth was informed that an investigative reporter wanted to speak with him and if we could ask him directly. We never got a response.

We were, however, able to speak with Garth directly during a visitation with his brother Russell.

Since DDS got conservatorship, Russell has laid low in hopes of continuing to remain in contact with Garth, unlike other family members who've lost all visitation. As of June 2022 he hadn't seen Garth for six months. Russell requested visitation and was approved. He, his wife Elizabeth, and their kids met at a local park while a care home worker supervised.

About halfway through their visit, we were able to speak with Garth.

I terribly miss my mom, Garth said.

When asked who he would like to live with, he told us his family, specifically his mom.

Garth also expressed the same desire weeks later directly to a judge.

On July 27, 2022, the Department of Developmental Services temporary conservatorship over Garth expired. The agency wanted to renew it and a court hearing was held in Sacramentos probate court.

Judge Gevercer granted us permission to film, despite DDSs repeated objections.

During the 40-minute hearing, the judge gave time for all to speak including Garth himself, who until this point has rarely had a voice in court.

I want to live with my mom, Garth said to the judge.

The judge told Garth to talk to his court-appointed attorney, Harpainter, about his desires. He also ordered DDS and the Schuttes to meet and hopefully reach an agreement over Garths current situation.

In the meantime, he extended DDSs conservatorship over Garth until the next hearing in December.

We requested an on-camera interview with the Department of Developmental Services for seven months. They declined all requests for interviews.

Prior to releasing our investigation, we sent them a three-page letter outlining our findings and asking 15 questions related to allegations of failed practices, including a 2022 state audit that found numerous failures for the last 10 years.

They refused to answer our questions and sent us a written statement (available in full at the bottom of this article) about how their priority was to keep their clients safe and a short video (below) of Director Nancy Bergmann reading the written statement. Neither answered any of our questions.

So, we attempted to talk to DDS attorney Meredith Nixon following the hearing. She also refused saying, no comment.

Two days prior to our investigation airing, the Department of Developmental Services announced immediate "actions to support" the individuals they conserve in a three-page press release. The release named three items DDS will do to improve the system for those in "conservatorships where DDS is the court-appointed conservator." They include forming a panel of experts to conduct a review of DDS' conservatorship program, forming a "working group" from multiple state departments to review their conservatorships, and "enhance oversight and review."

However, the press release didn't include direct actions or steps, like budgeting nor an exact time frame of when these items will take place. We reached out again asking for an interview so we could ask about the specifics of their new plan. They declined.

Jill had retired to care and spend more time with Garth. Following the hearing, she decided to return to work at an organization assisting people with autism, like Garth, so she can continue paying for the costly legal fees in hopes of gaining care for Garth.

The Schutte family plans to continue fighting in hopes of getting Garth home. They also hope in sharing their story, they shed a light on limited conservatorships and the system around it for others - as well as taxpayers.

Read this article:

'I want to live at home' | The battle of a conservatorship funded by tax dollars - ABC10.com KXTV

OLX Autos Outlook Business: Q&A

Spokesperson - Amit Kumar, CEO, OLX Group

To understand the trends in Indias automotive market we spoke to Amit Kumar, CEO, OLX Group on the road ahead for pre-owned cars in India and how COVID brought about a fundamental change in consumer behaviour towards the same.

Q1. Where do you see the trend of the growing popularity of used cars going in 2022? Has it slowed down? Has it accelerated further?

Owing to the increased need for personal mobility, affordability, support from financers, and low new car penetration in India, pre-owned car sales are expected to reach 1.5x times that of new car sales over the next five years.

A recent study conducted by OLX Autos with CRISIL on the pre-owned car market, reveals that by 2025- 2026, the Indian pre-owned car market will reach a size of over 7 Mn vehicles and outpace the new car market.

Q2. Going by the trends, which car models will be popular in 2022? Could you share some data on the most popular car bought and sold on OLX?

Based on the recent trends, the top three brands being sold on OLX Autos are Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Mahindra. In terms of the car models, the top-selling ones include hatchbacks such as Swift, Alto and i10. In addition, SUVs such as XUV500, Innova and Scorpio are also gaining huge traction. The average selling price of used cars was up by approximately 17%-20% year-on-year from approx. INR 4 lakh in January 2021 to INR 4.8 lakh this January 2022.

Q3. The current market environment has put a lot of stress on the supply of new cars chip shortage, restricted availability of raw materials, and longer wait times. How will this impact the supply side of used cars?

The demand for pre-owned cars is way ahead compared to pre-covid times. There are multiple factors behind this growth, the sector supply crunch, the need for personal mobility, and the desire for upward mobility. While chip shortage, rising cost of new cars and longer wait times are slowing the new car market, the pre-owned car market is gaining momentum.

As per our study with CRISIL, replacement demand this fiscal year made up only 19% of all new automobile sales, this typically ranges between 24-25%. This increase in demand is affecting the pricing for pre-owned cars, given their limited supply. This pressure on supply is also evident in the typical age of cars being traded which has increased from approx. 6-7 years during pre-covid times to approx. 8-9 years now.

Q4. How does OLX Autos perceive the used car market in India which has many venture-funded startups operating in the domain?

As stated the pre-owned car market will reach a size of over 7 Mn vehicles and outpace the new car market by 2025-26.

We at OLX Autos believe that given the per capita car ownership in India (23-25 cars per 1000 households as compared to 900+ per 1000 households in the US) is still amongst the lowest in the world it continues to be an aspiration for most Indians.

This unorganised industry is growing and therefore disruption is bound to happen. Startups are poised to take advantage and create that disruption to provide the phygital customer experience that customers are looking for. Ultimately, the player with a differentiated customer experience will succeed.

Q5. Tell us a bit about the recently launched home inspection model. How comfortable are users to sell their cars from their homes?

Pre-covid, most of our business (90%) was an in-store experience. However, during Covid, this was impacted and we created a new way of serving our customers. We pivoted to a model best suited to the customer preferences in terms of safety and convenience to meet the consumer-led demand.

Even though we are back to normalcy, consumers are preferring to take advantage of our home inspection facility which is witnessing a rapid growth

Q6. What has been the growth witnessed by OLX Autos in the last 2 years with the inclination towards personal mobility due to the pandemic-driven growth of the pre-owned car market?

OLX delivered a strong performance for the year, as it expanded its direct-to-consumer autos transactions business. Revenues increased 93% to US$3 billion. OLX Autos contributed significantly to this growth, with a revenue of US$1.6 billion, up 173% YoY. OLX Autos scaled operations significantly, with a record 175,000 autos transactions, up 79% from the previous year. Our core Classifieds business recorded growth across key markets, with monthly app user base rising 7% to 124 million, active listings growing 11% to 174 million and monthly paying listers increasing 10% to 4.1 million, as per a report on the global figures by Naspers.

Q7. How is OLX Autos reinventing itself to keep pace with the competition and changing consumer preferences?

OLX Autos is reinventing itself as a one-stop destination for anyone that wants to sell a pre-owned car, while also catering to the largest traditional dealer network in this space to help them grow with a wide variety of technology solutions.

Some of them being -

Home Inspection Model

Self Inspection Model

Online Price discovery

Q8. With many OEMs entering the used car space with their own branded outlets, do you see this as an opportunity or a hindrance to your plans in India?

This space is too large for any individual player to dominate in a market that is still 90% unorganized. We believe the more the players, the easier it will be to drive awareness about the various channels to sell cars and raise the bar for customer experience. In the past, we have demonstrated that despite the competition, we were able to achieve tremendous growth. This market will grow at a CAGR of around 15% over the next 5 years to reach over 7 mn which leaves a lot of room for growth hence the real battle is about understanding the needs and preferences of the consumers, creating awareness around better platforms that provide a differentiated customer experience.

We are focused and driven to provide great customer experiences that create positive word of mouth for our brand. This is an investment phase for us where we are building the right products, solutions, and capabilities that are scalable.